Species name： Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Harvard UniversityDepartment of Molecular and Cellular BiologyHarvard Biological Labs Howard C. Berg
Labeled cells were videotaped in fluorescence using evanescent wave excitation at a quartz-water interface. Pili tended to stick to the quartz at their distal tips. If the cell body also stuck, pili under retraction were pulled taut. If the cell body was free, retraction pulled it forward.
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Skerker, J.M. and Berg, H.C. Direct observation of extension and retraction of type IV pili. Proc Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 98, 6901-6904 (2001).
(2014.03.20)